Monday, January 16, 2006

B's for Bikram

B is for Bikram yoga.

This is a lame-o/copout recycled photo from a much earlier post, back when I had a whole four readers. But I could not think of a way to get a photograph that I took myself from my actual class. This one was taken during a publicity photo shoot for the local studio and they sure have used it a LOT in their publicity materials. I'm glad it's of the back of me and not the front, although the release I signed that day allows them to also use several less-flattering poses and photos of me and others that get regularly plastered in the local newspaper and in billboard size all over the studio entrance. I have long since forgotten to notice or be bothered by it. Because of these photos, people in town have the impression that I go to class ALL.THE.TIME. But unfortunately I have not been going much at all in the last six months or more. Things always seem to get in the way. If there's not a legitimate reason because of work or other responsibilities, I have noticed that lately I have come up with too many excuses. And it shows.

Two weeks ago, I started back up again. The studio has changed the time of the Tuesday/Thursday classes to be a half hour later, based on input from people saying they had too hard a time getting home from work in time for class. This has helped me tremendously, as that was exactly the circumstance I often encountered.

Bikram yoga is hot yoga and it is "power" yoga - not the relaxed, flowery, soft thing many think of as yoga. There is no music, just the sound of the instructor's voice. My favorite instructors are sort of drill sergeant-like.

The room temperature is kept up above 100 degrees F, usually around 105-110. The highest I've seen it registered - and this actually gave me some concerns about safety - was 113F, or was it 118? I don't really remember, but I think it was dangerously hot for that one class, although no one keeled over or anything.

I do not like the heat, and I thought I would not be able to do this. My friend Michelle (hi, Michelle!) wanted to try a class a couple of years ago, and whined and cajoled until I agreed to go with her. I told her I would hate it and I was only doing this for her, but I would probably never go back. I nearly expired in the first class. There were other first-timers there, including Michelle, but I was the only one who had to leave the room during class a few times. The heat and exertion made my head feel like it was going to explode, and my heart felt like it was going to come out of my chest. People later told me that they thought, "Well, SHE'LL never be back." Heh. I made a really good impression, apparently.

The next day, Michelle called me. "How are you feeling?"

"A little bit sore, but not bad."

[pause]

"I hated it."

[pause]

The two of us, in perfect stereo, then said, "I want to go back." We collapsed in a fit of giggles. The rest, as they say, is history.

It turns out I was kind of a natural. The worst part of the first class is not knowing how much more there is and how much more you can endure. The best advice is to not leave for good. Step outside and get cooled off a little if need be, but even if you have to (and I still do sometimes to this day, depending on what my hormones are doing, maybe what I've eaten or not eaten, and how I'm feeling) kneel down and sit out a pose or two or three - or four - continue to stay in the room, finish the class. Once you've done it once and know what comes next, it makes it much easier the next time.

The first half or more of the class is upright, standing poses, which I find much harder. Once we reach the point of the floor poses, which oddly Bikram classifies as the harder ones, I know I'll be fine and I'll make it through the rest of the class. I now have taken to whispering to a newcomer who is struggling, "It's all downhill from here. We're almost done," when we reach the floor part of the series.

Most important advice that no one gave me ahead of the first class:

- drink copious amounts of water for at least two days prior to the first class

- do not wear cotton. Do not wear long pants or shirts. Wear lycra or some other wicking, stretchy, extremely lightweight fabric. Cover as little of your body as possible. They make teeny-tiny little outfits just for this type of yoga (see the professional instructors partially visible in the above photograph), and at first you think you'll never wear them. You will. Regardless of any issues you have of being self-conscious, your "issues" will be gone after about three classes, along with your modesty. I now wear very skimpy bottoms and a jogbra type of top. Having that extra bare skin on the torso makes a huge difference in being able to sweat and tolerate the heat.

And you do sweat BUCKETS. You will not even believe how much you sweat. In some poses, if the light is just right, you can look down the row at your classmates and see a sheet of "rain" falling. No exaggeration. This is why you must have a towel over your sticky mat in class -- to catch the drips. I use an oversized beach towel, which is solidly DRENCHED at the end of class.

You can read more about Bikram yoga and see the poses modeled here. The pose that I was preparing for at the moment the above photo was shot is No. 22, Ustrasana, Camel Pose. I do NOT look like the model in the photograph of the website when I do that pose. I cannot get down quite that far.

It has changed my body shape, improved my posture (a bit - we still have a long way to go) and has taken away all the pain I had related to my work, making me much stronger and more flexible in the process. When I go to class regularly (even only once or twice a week), I never have to go to the chiropractor. When I don't go to class, I have to get a massage and/or go to the chiro at least once a month because of the stresses and strains on my body from doing the steno, lugging the equipment around, and sitting in substandard chairs most of the time. It also has made me able to tolerate the heat outside class much better, and helps me have fewer headaches. And sleep?! Oh, yeah, baby. There are some other benefits as well, if you know what I mean.

The classes are long (1 1/2 hours) and I have to get to class early in order to get a prime spot on the floor (I like to be closer to the door, where it's a teensy bit cooler) and to acclimate to the heat. So it's a big time commitment. And it's not cheap. But when I figure in the health benefits and subtract the costs of visits to the chiropractor, my homeopathic m.d., and the massage therapist (hi, Michelle, again - heh. Sorry, but it's your own damned fault for getting me to this class in the first place), it is indeed cheap.

The most inspiring people in the class are the much older, much heavier, much-more-out-of-shape people who have come, both men and women. They are very, very stiff, very inflexible, very weak. They often have to use the wall for support, to even stand on one leg for a few seconds. They often cannot bend, they cannot kneel, they cannot lift a foot under their own power. Then about four or six weeks later, they are suddenly standing alone, in the center of the room, they've bought themselves some sexy new yoga clothes, and they are smiling. It happens a LOT, just like that, in my studio. It's so wonderful to see, and it's a true testament to the magic of Bikram.

This post was pre-written and timed to be posted today. I'll be in and out, as I said, this week. Mostly OUT. Catch as catch can!

I couldnt agree with you more about Bikram, only kind of yoga that interests me. And the emotional sweat off makes it worth it. I need to suck it up and start going here, but the idea of following instruction only in french is a wee bit daunting. So are teh flabs appearing on my stomach though :)

I was taking a "regular" yoga class for awhile and I couldn't believe the difference just 3 classes made in my flexibility. I don't think we have bikram yoga around here, but if we did, my husband would be all over it. I don't think it's my thing. But you never know....

Thanks for that detail. I'm suffering a bit these days and thinking I need to do something to strengthen me. I'm going to get a referral to a physio and/or massage therapist (if I'm referred by my doctor the insurance will pay) and consult with them about what might be best. But yoga was on my list, though maybe not Bikram. Great to know it makes a big difference to you.

I started Bikram yoga at my club with a visiting instructor, so she couldn't get the room really hot. The first time I tried it with the room at the proper temperature (on a visit to Key West), wow--I thought I was going to throw up. I had to leave the room for awhile and go outside where it was cool (only 85 degrees). Then I had to walk back to my hotel looking like I'd just competed in a wet T-shirt contest. Anyway, I completely agree re. the chiropractor--not necessary if I do my yoga.

My class has been Power yoga without the heat. I like it that way. The simplistic breathe and stretch and relax doesn't do it for me. My skiing this year was WAY different, better, balanced. Yoga is the only thing between me and stiff as a board. I like your B word.
And your picture.

Just started Vinyasa Power Yoga -- hot, but not quite so hot as Bikram! My first yoga ever (I can hardly believe that) and I love it. Going again tonight! Oh!! Those things that someone should have told you beforehand -- no kidding!

Wow, I'm impressed--and wish I wasn't too late for the ABC-along! It's all I can do to drag myself to my friend's slightly-larger-than-shoebox sized apartment once a week or so for yoga. That Bikram stuff sounds too tough for me. Good for you!

I don't think I could ever do it - I have trouble with downward dog and just thinking about the heat makes me prostrate, but I admire your dedication and the fact that you signed a release form allowing them to hang pictures of you with buckets of sweat dripping off of your scantily clad body. That's the greatest endoresment of yoga I've ever heard.

Okay, I'm impressed! That sounds way too intense for me (grin). Like Dave, I like the flowery, graceful stuff better. Although, really, I haven't done any yoga in a while--too long. There's only so much free time, you know? And when I HAVE done it, it's from tapes in my bedroom--so that there's no travel time built into the equation. But really, almost none at all since I got Chappy. (Hey, when I do situps, he comes over and climbs on my stomach--if I try balancing on one leg, he's going to jump on me, I know it!) Yes, it's an excuse, but see? It just makes me admire YOU that much more!

I really miss being in the yoga studio. I never really got into the Bikram thing, but for a while I did a lot of Vinyasa Flow and even got certified to teach. I'm a flexy-bendy girl, so I actually can do that version of Ustrasana and many other pretzely poses.

How funny that I recognized you immediately just from the back of your head as the photo loaded...

No Bikram for me, thanks. Vinyasa girl all the way. I need my inversions (when not knocked up. But man does legs up the wall feel like heaven these days...) and I pass out from heat. But I'm glad you love it. Billy's done some Bikram (but mostly he's an Iyengar boy.)

I like the sounds of that. I used to do the regular yoga (where the instructor would have us take a pose, then discuss the spiritual benefits of said pose while we were all turning purple). She had a sub once, and it was like yoga on speed. I loved it. It was almost cardio. The original instructor came back, and while trying to hold some gawdawful pose for the twenty minutes she flowered on and on in that fake soothing voice, I tweaked the HELL out of my back, and never went back. >sigh<

I really need and want to get in shape, and Yoga has always sounded so appealing, but that type of Yoga -- hmm. Scary. Maybe I'll try it sometime just to see if I could endure one session? The photo of you is great, BTW. Wow you look good. Chelle

I really need and want to get in shape, and Yoga has always sounded so appealing, but that type of Yoga -- hmm. Scary. Maybe I'll try it sometime just to see if I could endure one session? The photo of you is great, BTW. Wow you look good. Chelle

I admire (and am perhaps a bit envious of) your dedication to your health. I always have some excuse to put things off - not enough money, not enough time, not enough motivation.... You're very lucky that you've found something that works for you.

Yoga is the most amazing thing, isn't it? I have it on my survival budget - you know, the stuff you absolutely *will* pay for, even when there really isn't any money. It's that important to my body and my over all well being.

As a chiropractor I talk to my patients about the benefits of Bikram yoga until I am blue in the face. It's true, you will need your chiro and massage therapist much less often. It just makes ya feel good all over!

This must be a sign, I was just telling my husband last night that I wanted to try Yoga but that I wanted something that would give me a good workout. I must go do a google search and see if there are any classes offered locally. Thanks for the heads up Norma!

I've been acquainted with Bikram yoga through my sister-in-law and younger brother. She actually got his computer game playing, mountain dew drinking chemical engineerness into the whole yoga thing. They both go three or more times a week and they both look fabulous. And she's actually going out to LA in the spring to take the teacher training course so in the summer I'll have a connection to a real live Bikram instructor. Maybe that will get me motivated to try it out sometime.